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There are good ways to thaw frozen fish, acceptable ways, and bad ways. It’s usually acknowledged as the preferred method to put your frozen fish in the refrigerator the day before you plan on eating it. It can take from ten to twenty-four hours but it is believed that this way retains the greatest flavor and ensures the best texture in the fish.

That said, I often thaw my fish in a bath of cold water. It is imperative that the water is cold; warm water will make your fish mushy and unpleasant whereas cold water preserves the cellular structure of the fillet. Simply fill a sink with tap water as cold as it will come out and then submerge the fillet still in its vacuum packing until thawed. This method, while much quicker than the refrigerator, still takes several hours.

Many people swear by the ‘cook it frozen’ method. I haven’t yet tried it, though I’m planning on giving it a go in the near future. For people who have trouble planning meals several days in advance, this may be the way to do things.

For links to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute’s online recipe database and the Cook it Frozen! website go to our recipes section.

WHAT WE ARE COOKING

Grilled Rosemary Balsamic Salmon

2 fillets of king or three of coho salmon (approx. 2 pounds)

Marinade:

1½ cups extra virgin olive oil

⅓ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Rosemary Butter:

2 tablespoons softened butter

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary

3 cloves of minced garlic

1 teaspoon of black pepper

Directions:

Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour into a large ziploc bag, add the salmon fillets and squeeze the air out of the bag. Leave the fish in the marinade for 2 hours for every ½ inch of thickness.

In a small bowl, blend the butter ingredients together saving half of the rosemary for later.

Heat your barbecue to medium high heat and oil the grill well. Drain the salmon and, when the grill is hot, place flesh side down. Cook for approx. five minutes — the fish should lift easily from the grill. Flip the fish, brushing with half of the rosemary butter, and cook for another five or so minutes, depending on how thick the fish is. To tell the salmon is done peek into the center of the fillets with a sharp knife. The flesh should be beginning to flake apart. Remove while there is still some translucency. The salmon should continue to cook after having been removed from the heat. Do not overcook.

Top each fillet with some of the remaining butter, squeeze with lemon, and sprinkle with the remaining rosemary.

The recipe is based on one found from the Fishes and Dishes cookbook written by Kiyo Marsh, Tomi Marsh, and Laura Cooper. I recommend getting a copy of the book, available on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.